Consultative Assessment Program

The Department’s Office of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) has the capability to offer consultative assessments of a bureau/office’s safety and occupational health program.  Assessments will include an analysis of the program’s gaps and help create a detailed plan to move the program forward.  This service can easily be tailored to a region or field office upon request.

The Office of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) now offers consultative assessments of safety and occupational health programs at the bureau level, regional level, or at the facility level.  Consultative Assessments include an analysis of the agency’s program gaps (compared to a referenced program) and the development of a detailed plan to move the program forward. 

The OSH consultative assessment service can assist managers and supervisors by highlighting gaps in their current program(s), help them learn about potential hazards in their operations, and improve the overall performance of their safety and occupational health programs.  This service is delivered by a well-trained professional staff with many years of safety and health experience. 

The safety and occupational health consultative assessment program is completely separate from the evaluation program.  In fact, a scheduled evaluation could be delayed if the bureau is engaged in an active consultative assistance. 

The outcome of a consultative assessment is a report covering the path forward for program improvement, no findings are issued.  Any unsafe or unhealthful working conditions observed by the consultants as they work with employees in the bureau’s facilities are not reported. Instead, the consultants will work with site managers to have those issues corrected.

Consultative Assessment Program Overview

The OSH designed the Consultation Assessment Program to help the bureaus and offices with the implementation of successful safety, occupational health, and risk management programs.  Consultative assessment assistance is comprehensive and goes well beyond the minimal requirements of the OSHA regulations.  Consultants are able to evaluate how well the programs are integrated into the agency’s business practices, physical work practices, and associated environmental practices.  The OSH consultants not only provide any or all these services, but can also deliver any isolated service component, for example, reviewing a machine for guarding, if that is all that is desired.

Key Services the OSH Consultative Assessment Program offers

• Help with the integration of the employee safety and occupational health program into the business practices of the agency.
• Assist leadership with their very important roles in employee safety.
• Assist with the development of safety and occupational health programs that fit into the agency’s culture.
• Help employees and supervisors identify risks and hazards in their workplaces.
• Suggest approaches and/or options for solving a safety, health or risk problems.
• Provide a written report that summarizes findings.
• Assist with the development and/or maintenance of an effective safety and health program(s).
• Offer training and education for employees at the agency’s workplaces and facilities.

Types of Consultative Assessment Visits

The Consultation Assessment Program offers comprehensive and specific services on-site agency wide.  These consultative visits cover all worksite operations and conditions, and emphasize illness and injury prevention for employees as well as provide assistance in establishing an effective workplace safety and health management system.  Safety and occupational health consultation provides assistance with building the organization’s safety program, training, hazard identification, and specific rules that apply to the agency’s operations.  Risk management consultants help the agency protect its employees from hazardous working conditions.  Assistance may also include training and education services for leadership, supervisors, and employees.

Benefits of the Consultative Assessment Program

• The Consultative Assessment Program offers DOI agencies professional advice and assistance in establishing or strengthening their workplace safety and health program.
• Leadership, managers, supervisor, and employees can benefit from:
• Knowledge gained from implementing best practices, having an effective safety program, and staying compliant with Federal rules and Departmental policies;
• Controlling workers’ compensation premiums and preventing hidden costs of workplace injury claims through effective safety and occupational health programs;
• A safer and healthier work environment so employees can go home to their loved ones at the end of each work day; and
• Enhanced job performance because the employee is more productive, absent less often, and more likely to avoid short- or long-term disability.

Facility level on-site Consultative Assessments

At the request of facility management, a safety, occupational health, or risk management consultation can take place.  Initially the consultants will assess the organization’s safety and occupational health management system, or, if none exist, will assist in developing an effective safety program.  The OSH consultants will then analyze the employee’s safety, occupational health, and accident prevention programs and offer solutions.  The on-site work within the facility will include:

• An opening conference with management to explain the program and procedures.
• A walk-through survey to evaluate the mechanical, physical and environmental hazards of the workplace, onsite work practices, and an evaluation of the facility’s accident prevention program.
• A closing conference with management to discuss any conditions noted during the survey and to make recommendations.
• A written report describing conditions found and recommendations or agreements made.
• A follow-up visit, if appropriate, to assure that any requested necessary corrections have been made.

How to Make a Request for a Consultation

To request OSH consultative assessment services, reach out to Michael Quinn. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to discuss what service would be most useful to your agency or location.

Agency Obligations

• Allow the consultants access to offices, sites, and facilities to gather information.
• Allow the consultants the opportunity to interview employees at all levels of the agency from leadership to line employees.
• Allow the consultants to conduct safety, health and/or management perception surveys as needed to support the consultative assessment.
• Correction of hazardous situations uncovered during the consultative assessment.

Consultative Assessment Costs

OSH Consultative Assessments can be funded at two levels.  The first is using internal OSH staff resources for the consultative assessment work.  In this case the agency will only be billed the cost of travel and per diem for the consultants.  The next level, and the one most likely for an agency wide consultative assessment of a bureau or office’s safety and occupational health program including an analysis of the program’s gaps and the development of a detailed plan to move the program forward, would include specialists from Federal Occupational Health.  The FOH costs ($70,000), and the travel and per diem for the participating OSH staff, will be billed to the bureau or office.

Staff

Mike Quinn, Industrial Hygienist

Dave Schuller, Occupational Safety and Health Manager

FOH, Chemist, Lab Safety, Chemical Hygiene

FOH, Organizational Development, Organizational Culture